Supreme Court Provisionally Allows Candidates From Andhra Not Enrolled In Telangana Bar Council To Appear For Telangana Civil Judges Exam

The Supreme Court on August 6 temporarily allowed candidates from Andhra Pradesh, who had not enrolled in the Telangana Bar Council, to appear for the mains of the Telangana Civil Judges Exam. 

The petitioners, who had cleared the preliminary exam, were unable to submit documents for the main exam because they lacked enrollment certificates from the Telangana Bar Association.

It may be noted that the State's recruitment notification had introduced a new rule requiring enrollment with the Telangana Bar Association to participate in the exam. This requirement has been challenged as arbitrary and contrary to the Telangana State Judicial (Service and Cadre) Rules, 2023. These rules state that advocates enrolled in any bar association with less than three years of practice are eligible for junior civil judge positions. 

Petitioners argue that the notification violates the established rules and unfairly discriminates against Telugu-speaking candidates from other states, particularly Andhra Pradesh. They point out that the notification even allows students not enrolled as advocates to write the exam, while denying the same opportunity to enrolled advocates from other states. 

The bench led by CJI DY Chandrachud comprising Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra issued notice in the matter. The Counsel for the petitioners also informed the Court that since August 6, 12 PM was the deadline to submit the online application form, an interim relief was imperative for the petitioner's opportunity to appear in the exam.

Taking note of the same, the Court also directed that the petitioners be allowed to participate in the recruitment process initiated by the High Court's notification dated 10 April 2024. However, the results of these candidates will not be declared pending further orders from the Court. 

The petitioners are permitted to participate in the recruitment process initiated by the High Court by its notification dated 10 April 2024, subject to such further orders as may be passed in these proceedings. The result of the petitioners shall however not be declared pending further orders of this Court.

The bench will now hear the matter of August 23.   

Counsels for petitioner: Ms. Ritu Bhardwaj, Adv.; Mr. Amol Chitravanshi, AOR and Mr. Rajat Gaur, Adv. 

Case Details : VINDELA GEETHA BHARGAVI & ORS. v. THE STATE OF TELANGANA & ANR. Writ Petition (Civil) No.489/2024